Dental impression-tray



A. M. EPSTEJN. y DENTAL IMPRESSIONTRAY.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-11 "921'r 1,391,535. Pa s pt. 20,1921.

xigriko Q I INVEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

UNITED STATES ALBERT MARCUS EPSTEIN, 0F ELMIRA, NEW YORK.

DENTAL IMPRESSION-TRAY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 20, 1921.

Application filed ll'anuary 17, 1921. Serial No. 437,827.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT M. Ers'rnm, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elmira, in the county of Ohemung and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Dental Impression-Tray, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to trays or cups employed by dentists in taking plaster impressions of the mouth, and has for one of its objects to improve the construction and increase the efficiency and utility of devices of this character.

Another object of the invention is to produce a tray of this character constructed of pulp material, such as paper which becomes relatively rigid when dried, molded to form, and with a reinforcing member embedded in the material of the tray and a handle attached to the reinforcing member and extending through the material of the tray.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out in the claims, and in the drawings illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

I Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of the improved trays,

Fig. 2 is'a plan view of the same,

Fig. 3 is a detached plan view of the reinforcing member,

Fig. 4 is a detail view illustrating the manner of constructing the improved tray,

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section about on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional detail.

The trays of this class are of various shapes and sizes, and a plurality of the trays are furnished of different fiizes and forms and forming a set. For t e purpose of illustration a tray of conventional size and shape is shown, and comprises an outer shell 10 of some material which may be pressed or molded into the required shape. The material thus employed is preferably some compound of paper pulp or the like, which becomes relatively hard and rigid when dried, and while in the process of manufacture the molded material has embedded therein a reinforcing member of relatively thin metal, represented at 11, of a composition which is impervious to the action of oxygen or rustless.

The reinforcing element 11 when used is entirely concealed by the pulp material 10 and no part of the member 11 therefore ever comes in contact with the contents of the tray.

To facilitate handling the tray a handle 12 is riveted or otherwise attached at 13 to the reinforcing member, 11, and projects through the material of the tray as shown. The improved trays can be soinexpensively manufactured that after being once used they can be discarded and a fresh tray used for each patient.

The tray is used in the well known manner and after use, is discarded, as above stated, so that each patient is furnished with a clean and unused tray, thus insuring sanitary conditions in their use.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the drawings and set forth in the specification, but it will be understood that any modifications within the scope of the claim may be made in the construction without departing from the principle of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

I claim: A dental tray formed of pulp material which becomes relatively rigid when dried and molded to shape with a rigid reinforcing member embedded within the pulp material, and a handle connected to the reinforcing member and projecting through the material of the tray and in advance of the same.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature hereto.

ALBERT MARCUS EPSTEIN. 

